Wooo hooo! (progress!)

Very impressive progress. What do you attribute it to, besides your winning personality?

DaKitty left this mess on Wed, 8 Oct 2003 20:27:13 -0700 for The Way to clean up:

Quoted message said:

please bear with me while I brag!

Let me remind you that 2 months ago, in a LCM regional meet (and my first meet) I was doing 1:58 in
100 free!!!!

This afternoon at the workout the coach had us doing 4x100, on 4 minutes, no holding back race
sets. (SCM pool) I did 1:27, 1:30, 1:33 and 1:31

The coach was very very pleasantly surprised... I was so surprised I thought he was reading off
someone else's time! Earlier in the workout he commented how my stroke is looking really good.

I'm vevy vevy excited... I think I feel a touchdown dance coming on... 😉

DaTiger 😉

Tao te Carl

"It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl (c) 2003

My winning personality??? You mean the one that scratches and shreds everyone that gets in
the way??? 😉

I'm losing weight, and getting into shape. It's easier to make that kind of progress when you start
from zero, and I did start from zero. about 30-40 lb overweight, and not having done ANY exercise
for couple of years. Another one might be is that I spent lots and lots of time in the water a kid.
Never swimming formally or competitively, but growing up on the Mediterranean, I would swim and
snorkel and dive all summer long. So, I feel very very comfortable in the water, I have no
inhibitions about it. I seem to have the good intuitive feel for how my body goes through the water,
and being that I'm not very strong yet, and tend to look for the last effort, I spend a lot of time
contemplating, how does this movement feel, vs. a different one. As for the technical part, I do
better in sports that require technical finesse, rather than just muscle, and swimming is very
technical. My kick is improving, I can actually tell the difference now from when I kick and when I
just get lazy and drag my feet. It's not a big difference. On the overall scale, my kick is still
poor, but it has stopped going backwards. And of course, training, and working with a coach. I swim
every day, 2500-3000 M workout. Every few days I swim a recovery day, and about once every 7- 10
days I take a day off. And I love the team, the people on it and the coach, they're all very
motivating.

"de Valois" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Very impressive progress. What do you attribute it to, besides your

winning

Quoted message said:

personality?

DaKitty left this mess on Wed, 8 Oct 2003 20:27:13 -0700 for The Way to

clean

Quoted message said:

up:

Quoted message said:

please bear with me while I brag!

Let me remind you that 2 months ago, in a LCM regional meet (and my first meet) I was doing 1:58
in 100 free!!!!

This afternoon at the workout the coach had us doing 4x100, on 4 minutes,

no

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

holding back race sets. (SCM pool) I did 1:27, 1:30, 1:33 and 1:31

The coach was very very pleasantly surprised... I was so surprised I

thought

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

he was reading off someone else's time! Earlier in the workout he commented how my stroke is
looking really good.

I'm vevy vevy excited... I think I feel a touchdown dance coming on... 😉

DaTiger 😉

Tao te Carl

"It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl (c) 2003

DaKitty said:

Let me remind you that 2 months ago, in a LCM regional meet (and my first meet) I was doing 1:58
in 100 free!!!!

This afternoon at the workout the coach had us doing 4x100, on 4 minutes, no holding back race
sets. (SCM pool) I did 1:27, 1:30, 1:33 and 1:31

Congratuations. I was at your rapid-progress phase a couple of years ago, and it's a good feeling.
Lately I'm sort of at a frustrating plateau, so I miss those days of steady improvements. Keep up
the hard work.

--
Chief S.

"Chief Squawtendrawpet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DaKitty said:

Let me remind you that 2 months ago, in a LCM regional meet (and my

first

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

meet) I was doing 1:58 in 100 free!!!!

This afternoon at the workout the coach had us doing 4x100, on 4

minutes, no

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

holding back race sets. (SCM pool) I did 1:27, 1:30, 1:33 and 1:31

Congratuations. I was at your rapid-progress phase a couple of years ago, and it's a good feeling.
Lately I'm sort of at a frustrating plateau, so I miss those days of steady improvements. Keep up
the hard work.

--

Thank you 🙂

Yea, I keep wondering where I'll peak. I know it takes me about a year to get in a really good
shape, from the level where I started.. we'll see.

Being that our team won the bid to host the master's national championships in the summer of 2005,
my goal is to be able to qualify for at least one event (other than relays). Don't know what event
that will be. It will most likely be something freestyle, or maybe backstroke. I seem to have a
knack for the backstroke, and I like to swim distance. So, we'll see if I'll be able to pull it off.
And.. I have my best friend to catch (she and I are the same age)... Yesterday She was swimming
1:01's in a double drag suit on a second workout of the day, when I was doing 1:27's, no drag suit,
first workout for me. She's been swimming, competitively since she was 6 years old, and has her
sights set on breaking couple of master's world records in the age group. Now that I started
swimming, she is extra motivated too. The coach and I were teasing her yesterday (friendly teasing)
that I'll be catching her pretty soon. (yeah-right)... but, it was cute.

DaKitty left this mess on Thu, 9 Oct 2003 10:55:28 -0700 for The Way to clean up:

Quoted message said:

My winning personality??? You mean the one that scratches and shreds everyone that gets in the
way??? 😉

That's the one! 🙂

Tao te Carl

"It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl (c) 2003

DaKitty said:

This afternoon at the workout the coach had us doing 4x100, on 4 minutes, no holding back race
sets. (SCM pool) I did 1:27, 1:30, 1:33 and 1:31

Good for you. I'm getting over a cold myself, which has spoiled my intentions to race this fall.

Donal Fagan AIA Donal@DonalO'Fagan.com (Anglicise the name to reply by e-mail)

"de Valois" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DaKitty left this mess on Thu, 9 Oct 2003 10:55:28 -0700 for The Way to

clean

Quoted message said:

up:

Quoted message said:

My winning personality??? You mean the one that scratches and shreds everyone that gets in the
way??? 😉

That's the one! 🙂

Tao te Carl

You should see me in the pool! Noone gets ahead of me... or should I say, over my dead body! 😉
Okay, on a serious note, if there is a chance I can catch someone, I will. I even keep trying to
catch swimmers that I have no chance of catching (yet).

Actually, I'm a lot nicer in person, but don't let that info spread too far, it will ruin my
rep here. 😉

"Donal Fagan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DaKitty said:

This afternoon at the workout the coach had us doing 4x100, on 4 minutes, no holding back race
sets. (SCM pool) I did 1:27, 1:30, 1:33 and 1:31

Good for you. I'm getting over a cold myself, which has spoiled my intentions to race this fall.

Donal Fagan AIA Donal@DonalO'Fagan.com (Anglicise the name to reply by e-mail)

🙁 I'm sorry about the cold.
I hope you're feeling better now?

There is some sort of a flu going on around here. Looks like I've avoided it, unless my
dizziness couple of weeks ago was a touch of flu, instead of just water in ears. Flu has gotten
me dizzy in the past.

DaKitty left this mess on Thu, 9 Oct 2003 15:04:47 -0700 for The Way to clean up:

Quoted message said:

You should see me in the pool! Noone gets ahead of me... or should I say, over my dead body! 😉
Okay, on a serious note, if there is a chance I can catch someone, I will. I even keep trying to
catch swimmers that I have no chance of catching (yet).

Actually, I'm a lot nicer in person, but don't let that info spread too far, it will ruin my
rep here. 😉

Nothing wrong with this, Tiger, but keep in mind that your competitive nature is
a) yours alone, and b) possibly damaging to you if you don't give your body a break every so often.

But then again, I use the kickboard drills for my cool-downs. This way I don't focus on
catching people 😉

Tao te Carl

"It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl (c) 2003

DaKitty said:

"de Valois" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DaKitty left this mess on Thu, 9 Oct 2003 10:55:28 -0700 for The Way to

clean

Quoted message said:

up:

Quoted message said:

My winning personality??? You mean the one that scratches and shreds everyone that gets in the
way??? 😉

That's the one! 🙂

Tao te Carl

You should see me in the pool! Noone gets ahead of me... or should I say, over my dead body! 😉

That's usually considered bad form. When someone wants to pass, let them, unless you are in a race,
of course.

Quoted message said:

Okay, on a serious note, if there is a chance I can catch someone, I will. I even keep trying to
catch swimmers that I have no chance of catching (yet).

Actually, I'm a lot nicer in person, but don't let that info spread too far, it will ruin my rep
here. 😉

--
Clark for President clark04.comclark04.comOpen ↗

Martin Smith

"M.W. Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DaKitty said:

"de Valois" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DaKitty left this mess on Thu, 9 Oct 2003 10:55:28 -0700 for The Way to

clean

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up:

>My winning personality??? You mean the one that scratches and shreds everyone that gets in the
>way??? 😉
>

That's the one! 🙂

Tao te Carl

You should see me in the pool! Noone gets ahead of me... or should I say, over my dead body! 😉

That's usually considered bad form. When someone wants to pass, let them,

unless

Quoted message said:

you are in a race, of course.

I know that. This is not when swimming circles. (don't automatically assume the worst case
situation, sheesh!) We have a big facility, and seldom have to swim in circles. In last 4
months we had to swim circles twice. Most often we split a lane, and abouit 30% of the times
you get a lane for yourself. Plus, a lot fewer people show up at the 5AM practice. Catching
people, that's when we're splitting a lane, or someone in a lane next to me,,, You know, you
see them as you're swimming.

When we swim circles, I usually let people pass me, because most of them are faster than me. Even
when I try to pick a 'slow' lane 'slow' would mean, someone close to my abilities.

"de Valois" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DaKitty left this mess on Thu, 9 Oct 2003 15:04:47 -0700 for The Way to

clean

Quoted message said:

up:

Quoted message said:

You should see me in the pool! Noone gets ahead of me... or should I say, over my dead body! 😉
Okay, on a serious note, if there is a chance I can catch someone, I

will.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I even keep trying to catch swimmers that I have no chance of catching (yet).

Actually, I'm a lot nicer in person, but don't let that info spread too

far,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

it will ruin my rep here. 😉

Nothing wrong with this, Tiger, but keep in mind that your competitive

nature is

Quoted message said:

a) yours alone, and b) possibly damaging to you if you don't give your

body a

Quoted message said:

break every so often.

Not to wory, I have plenty of a lazy streak where I'm not inclined to push very hard if something
doesn't feel right.

Oh... I'm excited, the coach named me the swimmer of the week. 😄 (this came out of blue today)

*******************************************************************
SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – “The Three C’s Award” For Commitment-Consistency-Confidence

****DaKitty(name changed)**** Keep up the good work!
*******************************************************************

DaKitty said:

There is some sort of a flu going on around here.

I got it from the draughtsman next to me. :-(

I suppose I'll start swimming again next week.

Donal Fagan AIA Donal@DonalO'Fagan.com (Anglicise the name to reply by e-mail)

"Donal Fagan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DaKitty said:

There is some sort of a flu going on around here.

I got it from the draughtsman next to me. :-(

ugh, yea, that happens! 🙁

Quoted message said:

I suppose I'll start swimming again next week.

I'll send a good vibe your way so you feel better sooner 🙂

"DaKitty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:lihhb.17305$gi2.11393@fed1read01...

Quoted message said:

And of course, training, and working with a coach. I swim every day, 2500-3000 M workout. Every
few days I swim a recovery day, and about once every 7- 10 days I take a day off.

Hi Kitty,

Congratulations on the good results, but a small word of warning. Remember that recovery is extremly
important as well. In your description it sounds to me you are doing quite a lot of very hard
training. You are seing the results, but don't allow it to get you training so much that you
eventually get injuries.

You know how some people say that sleep is when we actually do learn? I would say rest between hard
workouts is as important :-)

Just want to make sure you don't burn yourself out...that's all!

Best regards,

Fedde

"Fedde Engler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"DaKitty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:lihhb.17305$gi2.11393@fed1read01...

Quoted message said:

And of course, training, and working with a coach. I swim every day, 2500-3000 M workout. Every
few days I swim a recovery day, and about once every 7- 10 days I take a day off.

Hi Kitty,

Congratulations on the good results, but a small word of warning. Remember that recovery is
extremly important as well. In your description it sounds to me you are doing quite a lot of very
hard training. You are seing the results, but don't allow it to get you training so much that you
eventually get injuries.

You know how some people say that sleep is when we actually do learn? I would say rest between
hard workouts is as important :-)

Just want to make sure you don't burn yourself out...that's all!

Best regards,

Fedde

That's good advice, Fedde.

As fitness athletes, we control two things. Speed (intensity) and distance. Conventional wisdom is
not to increase both at the same time. I recently tried just that - increased my number of swim
work-outs from 3 to 5 per week, and bumped up a lane where the 100 yard base time is 5 seconds
faster. The usual three things happened:

1. I got stronger.
2. I got faster.
3. I got sick.

Now that I've had a cold for over a week, I'm probably right back where I started. So I'm going to
try and heed my own advice and up my swims first, then try to add some speed after adapting.

Eric

"4precious" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

That's good advice, Fedde.

As fitness athletes, we control two things. Speed (intensity) and distance. Conventional wisdom is
not to increase both at the same time. I recently tried just that - increased my number of swim
work-outs from 3 to 5 per week, and bumped up a lane where the 100 yard base time is 5 seconds
faster. The usual three things happened:

1. I got stronger.
2. I got faster.
3. I got sick.

I know exactly what you mean. About a year ago I started training very, very hard. I spent six days
a week in the water and always at least 3500 m. I felt like I was developing endurance the way I
wanted it to be, so I kept this up. Eventually I moved up to 4000 m, but then my shoulders started
to hurt. Stupid as I was I just added some additional breaks in my sessions, but still kept swimming
around 4000 m a day. My techique is good, I have a very good stroke, but I was simply not giving my
body proper time to recover.

I got some kind of inflamation in my shoulders that kept me out of the water for about two months.
When I got back in I had grown a bit wiser. Today I swim two days and rest one, swim to days and
rest one, which in my individual case is exactly right. Tunig my sessions to fit with this frequency
of training has given me far better results than what i had when I was just doing laps after laps
without a proper plan :-)

Seems to me that Kitty has got through point 1 in your list and recently also to point 2. I just
hope she is wise enought to avoid point 3, which both you and I eventually got to. But you know how
it is with us humans...we seldom learn from advice...we learn from our own experiences :-)

Best regards,

Fedde

"Fedde Engler" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"4precious" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

That's good advice, Fedde.

As fitness athletes, we control two things. Speed (intensity) and distance. Conventional wisdom
is not to increase both at the same time. I recently tried just that - increased my number of
swim work-outs from 3 to 5 per week, and bumped up a lane where the 100 yard base time is 5
seconds faster. The usual three things happened:

1. I got stronger.
2. I got faster.
3. I got sick.

I know exactly what you mean. About a year ago I started training very, very hard. I spent six
days a week in the water and always at least 3500

m.

I'm still a long way from doing that on regular basis.

Quoted message said:

I felt like I was developing endurance the way I wanted it to be, so I

kept

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this up. Eventually I moved up to 4000 m, but then my shoulders started to hurt.

I don't add distance or speed when something hurts. I let speed and distance happen on the days I
feel good. We have an hour to hour and a half to do a coached workout, so if I'm tired or achy, it's
impossible to work up the speed, or to get the distance. So, on a recovery day, I get in maybe a
1000 to a 1500 easy in that time, on a hard day, I get in around 3000 to 3400. It averages to about
2400 per day.

Quoted message said:

Stupid as I was I just added some additional breaks in my sessions, but still kept swimming around
4000 m a day. My techique is good, I have a very good stroke, but I was simply not giving my body
proper time to recover.

I got some kind of inflamation in my shoulders that kept me out of the

water

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for about two months. When I got back in I had grown a bit wiser. Today I swim two days and rest
one, swim to days and rest one,

I did that when I started, foiurst I needed one day of swimming to one day of rest, few weeks later
I could do 2 days... Now I'm up to 4 days of moderate and harder workouts, before I need a recovery
day (that would be a 1000, swim within an hour) Sometimes I take 2 recovery days like that. About
every 7-10 days I take a day off completely.

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which in my individual case is exactly right. Tunig my sessions to fit with this frequency of
training has given me far better results than what i had when I was

just

Quoted message said:

doing laps after laps without a proper plan :-)

Seems to me that Kitty has got through point 1 in your list and recently also to point 2. I just
hope she is wise enought to avoid point 3, which both

I've trained in another sport several years ago. I know my limits, and I'm not stupid.